Tally



Oct. 26, 1954 R. D. WELLS 2,592,730

TALLY Filed Apiil 23. 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. B05527 0 w zzs wmm Oct. 26, 1954 R D WELLS 2,692,730

TALLY Filed April 23, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. POEEQT D. WELLS R. D. WELLS Oct. 26, 1954 TALLY 7 Sheeis-Sheet 3 Filed April 23, 1953 M INVENTOR. P051527 0. 14/5145 iima R- D. WELL Oct. 26, 1954 TALLY 7 -Sheet 4 Filed April 23, 1953 Q E BY A rroe/v yg' R. D. WELLS Oct. 26, 1954 TALLY 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 23, 1953 INVENTOR. P0556! D. WELLS? A rro e/vE Y5 R. D. WELLS Oct. 26, 1954 TALLY 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed April 23, 1953 INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE TALLY Robert D. Wells, Seattle, Wash.

1953, Serial No. 350,569

Application April 23,

17 Claims.

This invention relates to a counter or tally, in the form of a housing enclosing mechanism capable of being advanced, usually by one step or angular unit at a time, by individual manual or other impulses, although capable of continuous or periodical advance when connected to driving mechanism, to indicate a total number tallied, and preferably small enough to be carried in the users hand, yet to tally up to, for example, ten thousand, in a typical embodiment; in addition, the tally of this invention can and usually will include subtracting mechanism, capable of retrograde action, either step by step, that is, by units, or continuously over a period of time, and reset mechanism for resetting the tally, from any attained total, quickly and conveniently to zero.

One object of the invention is to incorporate the mechanism for accomplishing the principal of these functions, or all thereof, in small, compact form, a form which nevertheless is sufficiently simple that the mechanism is rugged and reliable, the parts simply and uniformly made, and readily assembled, and the mechanism as a whole is light and conveniently operated.

In making the mechanism small and light, it might be assumed that the numerals visible to indicate the attained tally would be correspondingly small and diriicult to read. On the contrary, it is a particular object of this invention to provide such mechanism wherein the visible numerals are exceptionally large, in relation to the mechanism as a whole, and hence are very easy to read.

Other objects, and especially those relating to details of the invention and of the mechanism for carrying it out, will appear more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated in a typical form, yet it will be understood that other forms and variants, within the appended claims, are considered a part of this invention, and that the specific form shown is chosen for illustration of the principles involved, rather than as restricting the invention to such form.

Figure l is a general isometric view of the complete tally, with parts all assembled and in various attained positions to indicate a given total, but illustrating many parts broken away and in section, or omitted for clearer illustration of parts behind them.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, with various parts broken away, illustrating a neutral or zero position of the parts; Figure 3 is a similar view illustrating the effect of depressing the plus actuator, and Figure l is a similar view illustrating the effect of depressing the minus actuator.

Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 are cross-sectional views illustrating the movements of parts, particularly the numeral-bearing blocks of a single indicating assembly, in effecting one-step advances in the additive sense. Figure 5 shows parts in the neutral or ready position, with all zero readings, corresponding to Figure 2; in Figure 6 the parts are advanced by about 10. In Figure 7 parts are revolved approximately 275 from their positions in Figure 5, and in Figure 8 they are revolved 360 plus about 280, that is, slightly more than one complete revolution beyond Figure '7.

Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12 are enlarged crosssectional views of details illustrating how an assembly of lower order engages and advances the disk of an assembly of the next higher order at each tenth advance of the lower-order assembly. Figure 9 corresponds to Figure 8; Figure 10 represents a further advance of a few degrees into a neutral position, wherein the two assemblies are initially engaged, for advance together at the next step; Figure 11 represents the initiation of the next step, the two assemblies advancing in unison, and Figure 12 represents the initiation of the step next-following, and the disengagement of the two assemblies after one step of advance from Figure 10.

Figures 13, 14, 15, and 15 are cross-sectional views to illustrate a subtracting operation; Figure 13 illustrates parts in a neutral position, as in Figure 5 except that the units assembly has been advanced to read one, and this is to be subtracted. Figure 14 illustrates the subtractive revolution nearly completed. Figure 15 illustrates a possible engagement between a lowerorder assembly and the disk of a higher-order assembly at the time when subtraction is required, and Figure 16 shows how the highercrder assembly is revolved subtractively by one step, yet the lower-order assembly may continue its step by step subtractive revolution without affecting further the higher-order assembly until the tenth following step.

Figures 17 to 23 inclusive illustrate the resetting operation. Figures 1'7, 18, and 19 are crosssectional views similar to Figures 5 to 8, Figure 17 illustrating the disks and their blocks of all assembli s in a neutral position, but with the arresting or halting mechanism in readiness; Figure 18 shows parts revolved about in the subtractive sense from Figure 17, and an arresting device about to be engaged, and Figure 19 shows its full engagement and the, assembly halted in approximately zero position.

Figures 20, 21 and 22 are enlarged cross-seotional detail views, Figure 20 showing how the halting of one assembly, in the operation of resetting, will not halt further revolution of other assemblies. Figures 21 and 22 are similar views illustrating a special situation wherein two assemblies are so interengaged at the start of a resetting operation that the halting of one would necessarily halt the other; Figure 21 shows their interengagement, as in Figures and 15, when resetting is to be initiated, and Figure 22 shows the initial movement of the resetting operation in this special situation.

Figure 23 is a half-elevational view, broken back at its ends to the axial plane, to show the operative positions of certain parts of the reset mechanism.

Briefly, the invention contemplates an assemblage of coaxial assemblies that may be designated, in order, units, tens, hundreds, and thousands assemblies, in each of which is a disk, all of which are mounted along a common axis so that they may be revolved individually, step by step, the units disk taking its rotation from a manually depressible plus actuator, and being advanced by each depression through one-fifth of 360 (72), in what may be termed the additive rotational sense, or by a like angular amount in the opposite or subtractional rotative sense, from a manually depressible minus actuator. Each disk carries five blocks each of which bears on one face a large numeral chosen from zero to four, and on its opposite face bears a complemental numeral chosen from five to nine; provision is made for reversing each block appropriately at a given point in each revolution of its supporting disk, so that on the first (and thereafter every odd) revolution of the assembly past a viewing window a given block of that assembly will exhibit (for example) the numeral one, and on the second (and thereafter every even) revolution past the window that block will exhibit the numeral six. Thereby each such numeral may be large in size, for easy reading. It follows that the units assembly must not revolve the tens assembly by one-fifth of a revolution until the units assembly has completed each even revolution, and so on to successive assemblies; mechanism to such end is provided.

Provision is made to accomplish reversal of blocks to the extent needed in accomplishing subtraction, by reverse revolution of the units assembly and through it of all higher-order assemblies, step by step, and further provision is made to return all blocks quickly toposition corresponding to zero reading, during resetting, by reverse or subtractive revolution of a supporting shaft and such reversal, as needed, of the blocks during the operation.

The mechanism to such ends will now be described in detail, for purposes of clarity and illustration. Since the mechanism deals with numbers, it will be convenient, as a means of avoiding confusion with reference numerals, to spell out numbers which the tally exhibits and to which reference must be made, and to utilize numerals in referring to parts of the mechanism, and suflixes in referring to the diiferent assemblies.

A normally non-rotative shaft 9, having five equiangularly spaced flutes 90 as locators for the disks, serves as the support about which the disks rotate step by step. The disks are all alike, with an exception noted hereinafter, and so each thereof and all its parts in a given assembly may be designated by like reference numerals, without suflixes when dealing with them generally or indiscriminately, but may be distinguished from the other assemblies and their parts by appropriate letter sufiixes; thus the disk la is the units disk, the disk lb the tens disk, lo the hundreds disk, and so on. Each disk has a hub iii, a web H, and a rim l2 upraised from the web. Each rim has five notches it, one corresponding to each blocks station on the disk. Each disk hub it? carries a ball M, spring-pressed inwardly for engagement in a flute 9b to locate its disk accurately in each definitive or reading position.

The number-bearing blocks are also all alike, and each will be designated by the reference numeral 2, when discussing them indiscriminately, and with an appropriate letter sufilx corresponding to the disk Whereon it is mounted or the assembly of which it is a part when discussing any particular block; the five blocks of each disk will be distinguished from one another, when necessary, by referring to the distinctive numerals which they bear, as the two-seven block 241, as in Figure 1, for example, or the one-six block 2a. Each disk, with its blocks, etc. constitutes an assembly, and there are, in succession axially along the shaft 9 the units assembly, the tens assembly, the hundreds and finally the thousands assemblies. More could be added if needed.

Each block 2 is of a somewhat lenticular contour, so that its opposite face, whichever is outermost, may lie closely behind the viewing window and the interior wall of the semi-cylindrical portion of the housing 8; its ends are truncated in order to avoid interference with other blocks. It is mounted at its midpoint upon a spindle i5 projecting from the web ll of its disk i in a direction parallel to the rotative axis. So long as one or the other of its faces sweeps the wall or window of the housing 8, or is otherwise held against rotation about its spindle, the block merely revolves step by step with its assembly as a whole, to display through the viewing window 8b the numeral it bears on its then exterior face. At the squared portion of the housing means are provided to accomplish the rotation of each block 2 by about its spindle l5 at each revolution, so that when it next passes the viewing window 89 its previously interior face and the numeral thereon will be visible, and the previously exterior face and numeral will be hidden. For example, starting the first revolution, the zero-five block 2 will have its zero face visible through the viewing window, but at its next revolution the block will have been reversed rotatively about its spindle 55 until, when it reaches the viewing window, the five face will appear; at the next revolution the zero face will reappear, and so on alternately.

Before describing the mechanism for reversing the blocks 2 it will be helpful to explain how the step-by-step advance of the units assembly and more especially its disk la is accomplished. The plus actuator 3 is forked to straddle the shaft Q and a collar l6 fixed to the disk la; to the extent that this disk la has the collar [8 it differs from the other disks; normally the actuator button Bil is held in projected position by a, spring 35 against the force of which it can be depressed; compare Figures 2 and 3. When depressed a spring pawl 32 engages one of five equiangularly spaced notches 86a in the collar it, to advance the collar 5 ii and its disk la in the additive sense by one-fifth of a revolution; the ball locator E ia is lifted from one flute 9B in the non-rctative shaft 9 and drops into the next one to terminate the advance. Each depression of the plus actuator 3 accomplishes a 72 advance of the disk la. It may be explained here that a similar minus actuator 35 carries a spring pawl 36 which may engage a notch I62) of the collar l6, and upon depression of the button 31 against spring 38 the collar I 6 and disk in are revolved onefifth of a revolution in the subtractive sense. It will be obvious that the disk la and its collar It might be advanced continuously, instead of step by step, in either sense.

The manner in which the units assembly advances the tens assembly, more particularly the disk lb, and the tens assembly advances the hundreds assembly and its disk [0, etc., will be understood better after the mechanism for reversing the blocks 2 is explained. The immediately preceding description pertains only to the advance, in either sense, of the disk la of the units assembly.

Since half of the housing 3 is cylindrical and the other half is squared, a web 8| with an inner flanged edge projects from its rear wall within the squared portion, and constitutes a cam-like continuation of the circular cross-sectional shape of the housing at one side of each assembly, interrupted only at the two corners, by two notches 82, 83, and by two inwardly projecting and relatively angularly spaced teeth B l, 85. Each block 2 is formed with an end boss having circular arcuate shoulders 2| which, with the block rotated about its spindle l5 from its viewing position, usually but not necessarily by 99, will wipe over the correspondingly arcuate edge of the web 8% as the assembly revolves, to retain the block in such normally 90 rotated position. The block is moved into that rotated position by engagement of teeth of an integral gear pinion 22 with the fixed and projecting teeth as (Figure 9) as the disk bearing the block is advanced; the block is held in that 90 rotated position by wiping of the shoulders 2| over the edge of web 8i (Figures 10, 11), and rotation of the block is completed through such an additional extent, again usually 90, when the gear teeth 22 engage the fixed tooth 85 (Figure 12) as the disk advances. Each block will be partially rotated each time it passes through each of these two reversing stations, or a total of 180 in each revolution of its assembly.

It will be noted that the two-seven block 20., or 2b, etc., and in any event only the two-seven block of each assembly (it might be a different block in a tally wherein the viewing window is otherwise located), carries a pin 23 at one end only, and this same block carries a tooth 2 3 which rotates with the block about its spindle. The notches 82, 83 in the web it! are for the outward entrance and inward exit, respectively, of the pin 23. Each disk i is notched at [3 about its rim l2-at least every disk except the units disk la, and in the interest of uniformity of n1anufacture that also can be so notched-at 72 intervals, whereby, in any revolved position of the disk, the tooth 24 of the preceding disk may engage in such notch l3 as the two-seven block rotates by 90; see Figure 9. As the same block advances (Figures 10, 11) the tooth 24 of the lower-order assembly drags the disk I of the next-higher-order assembly with it; as the tooth disengages the notch l3 (Figure 12) the disk of the nexthigher-order assembly is left in the one fifth advanced position, wherein it is positioned accurately by its locator ball ill; the lower-order assembly may continue its step by step advance. Since the tooth 24 is operative thus at one position only in the rotation of block 2 about its spindle, it will function as explained once in each alternate revolution of the disk I whereon it is supported, and will not function on the intervening revolutions thereof, this insures the advance by a single step only of each higher-order assembly with each two revolutions (ten steps) of the next-lower-order assembly.

The advance in the additive sense should now be fairly understandable. The tally may be assumed to be in zero position throughout. Pressure on the plus button 30 effects a one-fifth ad vance of disk la; the one-six block 2a comes into registry with the window 80, with the numeral one visible. Simultaneously the fournine block 2a is advanced to the upper corner station, and is rotated by the tooth 84 through 90; the three-eight block 2a which had initially been so rotated and located there is advanced to the lower corner station, the shoulders 21a by their engagement with the edge of web Bic preventing any additional rotation of this block. Also, at the same time the two-seven block 2a, which initially was at the lower corner station, is rotated the second 90 by the tooth 235a and is advanced towards but not to the window 89. With each successive depression of the plus actuator 3 the respective blocks 2a are advanced through these stations and positions, until finally, at the end of the second revolution, the zero" face of the zero-five block is about to become visible again. As the next advance occurs, the tooth 24a, of the two-seven block 2a of the units assembly engages the notch 13b of tens disk lb, and advances that disk 16 by one-fifth of a revolution. The one face of the one-six block 2b becomes visible simultaneously with the zero face of the zero-five block 211, to read ten. When the disk la is next advanced the tooth 85a engages and rotates the pinion 22a and the two-seven block 2a, as has already been explained, and this rotation disengages the tooth 24a (see Figures 6 and 12) from the notch i327, and hence no immediate further advance of the tens assembly occurs. The one-six block 210 of the tens assembly then remains fixed until the disk [a of the unit assembly has completed two more revolutions, whereupon in exactly similar fashion the disk lb is advanced another one-fifth revolution, to indicate, with the disk the numeral twenty. Finally, after two revolutions of the tens assembly its two-seven" disk 23; revolves the hundreds assembly by one step. this means any number within the capacity or the tally mechanism is properly indicated.

Subtraction is merely the reverse of addition,

mechanically as well as arithmetically. Depression of the minus button 3 and actuator 35 reverses the sense of revolution of disk la, but in extent and in all other respects the action is the same. Even if reverse revolution of a higher-order disk, as lb, is required, the tooth 24a functions equally well, and the blocks rotate reversely by engagement first with the tooth 85 and then with the tooth S6. The pins 23 pass through the slots 83 and $32.

Eventually it becomes desirable to reset the tally to zero. Resetting is accomplished by revolving the normaily fixed shaft 9 in the subtractive sense, ratcheting at 96, first having drawn the shaft cndwise by the reset knob 83 to release the locking lug 94 from the recess 88 (see Figures 1 and 23) in the end of the housing 8, the interengagement of which prevents the shaitss rotation. Such endwise movement of the shaft compresses the return spring 95 between the hub ltd of the last disk and a collar 4 which is secured to the adjacent end of the shaft. The shafts endwise shifting does not of itself disturb the assemblies in their several attained positions, for the locator balls l4 run lengthwise of their grooves 90, and do not affect the disk, but upon revolving the shaft these balls will induce revolution of the disks with the shaft unless the disks revolution is halted by a superior and more positive force.

That superior force is supplied by hooks at the end of spring arms 5 I, mounted upon and dependent from a rock shaft 50 pivoted for rocking movement in the squared portion of the housing 8. When the shaft 9 is drawn endwise, preparatory to resetting, a transversely directed bolt 52 having a beveled inner end slips into a complementally beveled circumferential groove 45 in the collar 4, being urged thereinto by an arm 53 fast on the rock shaft 50, and by a torsion spring 55 reacting on the rock shaft from the housing. The rocking of the rock shaft thus caused locates the hooks 5, one for each disk, in position adjacent the slot 83 where it can engage and hold the pin 23 of each two-seven block 2.

When resetting is required, the reset knob 93 is pulled endwise into the full-line position of Figure 23 from its dash-line position, and then is revolved in the subtractive sense. Just as in step by step subtraction, the disks revolvealthough now with instead of relative to the shaft-and their successive blocks 2 rotate reversely on their spindles at the two reversing stations, until the two-seven block of each disk, in reversing, engages its pin 23 with the hook 5. This may be during the second revolution of a given disk, and not the first, for if the pin 23 is inwardly directed as its block passes the hook 5 no engagement can result. In not over two revolutions each pin 23 will engage with its hook, and revolution of that disk halts; its locator ball l4 thereafter merely ratchets over the flutes 9U. Halting of the revolutions of one disk will not prevent continuance of the revolving of other disks, due to the fact that (see Figure 20) the hook is so positioned that reverse rotation of the pin-bearing block is halted before its tooth 24 is in position to engage in the notch l3 of the adjacent disk, thereby to lock the adjacent disk from revolving. All disks are thus brought to a halt in no more than two revolutions in the subtractive sense, all in the same (approximately zero) positions relative to the viewing window 80. Each spring-pressed locator ball I4 is balanced on the edge of a flute 90, tending to drop thereinto. As soon as the shaft is shifted endwise back to its initial position, it is correctly located angularly at 8, 94, and by the ratchet pawl and pinion at 96 (Figure 1), which always prevents revolution of the shaft 9 in the additive sense, and the balls 14 drop into their flutes 90, completing the slight additional revolution of the disks and reversal of the two-seven blocks from the position of Figure 20 to that of Figure 5. All blocks now read zero through the viewing window. Inward pushing or shifting of the shaft, in which the spring 95 assists, pushes the bolt 52 outwardly from the groove 45, thereby rocking the rock shaft 50 and withdrawing the hooks 5 from operative or pin-engaging position.

Should resetting be initiated while a tooth 24 of the two-seven block 2 of a lower-order assembly is in full engagement with its notch l3 of the next higher-order assembly-which would occur when the lower-order assemblys indication at is Zero-it is clear that such tooth must be disengaged, or otherwise the two disks will merely remain and revolve in their relative angular positions. Disengagement, however, can only be accomplished by revolution past the tooth 84, as in subtracting. It is in order to permit the pin 23 in such a special situation to pass by the hook 5 that its supporting arm 5! is made somewhat flexible (see Figure 22) and the hook is provided with an appended inclined edge 56.

In the special situation described, the two interengaged disks are revolved together by the shaft, the pin 23 pushes aside the hook, and when parts reach the position corresponding to Figure 16 the two-seven block of the lower-order assembly is rotated, as in subtraction, to disengage its tooth 25 from the notch E3 of the other assembly. Thereafter, although the disks may be rotated conjointly by the shaft, they are no longer positively interengaged, and the higher-order assembly, and in particular the pin 23 of its twoseven block, will be halted, as it revolves, in the position of Figure 20; the subtractional revolution of the lower-order assembly must continue until its two-seven block again reverses end for end, to leave its pin 23 outermost once more, where it, too, will be engaged and halted by its hook 5.

Most parts or components of the tally may well be molded of plastic material. The housing 8 can be made of two generally similar halves, 86, 81, with suitable register pins and holes, as at 8 (Figure 23), and with the halves joined by screws or the like, or by cementing or fusing. A loop 89 serves as a handle, within which fingers may be inserted. The disks 1, the blocks 2 with their gear pinions 22, and teeth 24 and pins 23 (where appropriate), the collar 4, and the actuators 3 and. 35 and the reset knob 93, all may be of such material.

The foregoing description is purposely precise and detailed, in order that the construction and operation of this compact and somewhat complex tally may be clearly understood, under each of the several operating conditions with reference to one illustrative embodiment. Nevertheless, it is not intended by such particularity to restrict the scope of the invention, or the size and capacity of a given embodiment, or the advance of the tally to manual, step by step advance only, and it is desired to make clear that all equivalents of parts, structure, and relationship are intended to be included within this invention, and that mechanism such as that for subtracting is not essentially required to be included, and in general that the invention is not to be restricted in these or other respects, excepting as the claims may indicate clearly to the contrary.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tally of the character described, comprising a plurality of disks and means supporting the same in axially spaced disposition and for individual revolution about their common axis, a plurality of elongated blocks, five to each disk, and each of a length approaching one-fifth of the disks circumference, means supporting each block from its disk for rotation each individually about an axis paralleling the common axis and located at equiangular spacings from other such axes, the successive blocks of each disk bearing on one of their respective faces the numerals zero to four, and on the other of theirrespective faces the numerals five to nine, the whole constituting an indicating assembly, a housing for several such assemblies of successively higher order, said housing having a viewing window at one side for the display of a single block and its numeral of each assembly, means to revolve the lowest-order assembly to display in order the numerals on the outer face of its successive blocks, means disposed within the housing, distant from the viewing window, for engagement with each block of every assembly as it passes during revolution of its disk to rotate each such block about its support through to bring its opposite face outermost, into position for display when such block next revolves, with its disk, into registry with the viewing aperture, and means interengageable every second revolution of a lower order assembly, between itself and the next higher order assembly, to advance the latter one-fifth of a revolution and then to disengage the same.

2. A tally of the character defined in claim 1, wherein the means to revolve the lowest-order assembly comprises a plus actuator guided in the housing and a pawl engageable with said assembly to advance the same in the additive sense by about 72, upon depression of said actuator, and including further a similar minus actuator guided in the housing and a pawl engageable with the same assembly to advance the same in the subtractive sense by a like amount upon depression of said minus actuator.

3. A tally of the character defined in claim 1, including a shaft coaxial with and about which the several assemblies revolve, cooperative means normally engaged to hold said shaft non-rotative, but disengageable for rotation of the shaft in the subtractive sense, two-way ratchet means interengageable between the shaft and the individual assemblies to eifect revolution of the assemblies with the shaft, or to permit revolution of each assembly relative to the shaft, or to permit revolution of the shaft relative to a halted assembly or assemblies, and reset mechanism including means movable into position to engage and halt the subtractive revolution of each assembly individually approximately in zero position.

4. A tally of the character defined in claim 1, wherein the means for rotating the passing blocks by 180 comprises two like devices, one at an initiating station to partially rotate each passing block by 90, and the other at a completing station to complete the rotation of each such block by another 90, said two devices being spaced apart by at least 72 about the axis of revolution, and means interengageable between each such block and the housing to maintain the block in its partially rotated position during its advance between the two stations.

5. A tally of the character defined in claim 1, wherein the means to revolve the lowest-order assembly comprises two independent actuators, namely, a plus actuator and a minus actuator, arranged to revolve said assembly respectively in the additive and subtractive senses, and wherein the means for rotating passing blocks by 130 comprises two like devices spaced within the housing by about one-fifth of a revolution, one at a normally initiating station to partially rotate each passing block by 90, and the other at a normally completing station to complete the rotation of each block by another 90, the functions of said like devices being transposed during revolution in the subtractive sense, and means interengageable between each such block and the 10 housing to maintain the partially rotated block in such position during its advance, in either sense, between the two stations.

6, A tally of the character described, comprising a plurality of disks and means supporting the same in coaxially spaced disposition and for individual revolution about their axis; a plurality of elongated blocks, five to each disk, the successive blocks of each disk in ord around the disk bearing on one face its distinctive one of the numerals zero to four, and on the other face its distinctive one of the numerals five to nine, respectively, means supporting each block from its disk for rotation each individually about parallel to the common axis and located at cquiangular spacings relative to the other blocks axes, the whole constituting an indicating assembly; a housing for the several such assemof successively higher order, said housing having a viewing window at one side for the display of a single block of each assembly and the numeral upon its outer face; a first means located at a first station within the housing, and distant from the viewing window, to engage each block as it revolves with its assembly, and to rotate such block about its support by less than a second like means at a second station, spaced angularly about the axis of revolution iroin the first station by about one-fifth of a revolution, to engage each partially rotated block as it revolves with its assembly, and to rotate such block about its support by enough to complete 180 of rotation, and so to bring its opposite face outermost into position for display when such block, as its assembly revolves, comes into registry with the viewing window; one block of each assembly being formed with an element rotative therewith and projecting towards one end only, and located so as to be directed outwardly of the axis of revolution at every other revolution of its assembly, and to be directed inwardly at each intervening revolution; each dish of each assembly of higher order than the lowest having five notches, each in turn positioned for reception of the outwardly projecting element, as it rotates at the first station, of the next lower order assembly, and for withdrawal of the projecting element as it rotates at the second station, following completion of a onefifth revolutionary advance of the higher order assembly; and means to revolve the lowest-order assembly to bring its successive blocks into registry with the viewing window, and by revolutionary advance of the next higher order assembly by one-fifth revolution, and similarly of successive higher order assemblies in turn, to display their blocks and numerals through the viewing window.

7. A tally as defined in claim 6, wherein said element-bearing block is formed also with a stop member; reset mechanism including complemental stop means normally held in inoperative position within the housing, but shiftable into an operative position to engage the stop member of each individual assembly, when all thereof are substantially in zero position following subtractive revolution of the several assemblies, and an actuator means independent of the means to revolve additively the lowest-order assembly to revolve all assemblies simultaneously in the subtractive sense until said complemental stop means has engaged the stop member of each such assembly.

8. A tally as in claim 6, wherein the elementbearing block of each assembly is formed also with a stop member; reset mechanism including a hook for engagement with the stop member of each assembly, and when engaged holding its disk-advancing element free from engagement with the notches of the next higher order disk, whereby the latter may revolve freely in the subtractive sense, and preventing further revolution of the engaged assembly, with the zero face of its corresponding block approximately in registry with the viewing window; means to shift said hooks into and from such engaging position; a reset actuator means independent of the normal means to revolve the assemblies, to revolve all assemblies simultaneously in the subtractive sense until each is stopped by one of said hooks; and means operable upon each disk, upon shifting of its hook from engaging position, to complete revolution of its assembly into zero position.

9. A tally as in claim 8, wherein each hook is supported by a spring arm and by a rock shaft mounting said arms, and each hook is formed by a pendant inclined surface leading to the hook from its under side.

10. A tally as in claim 8, wherein the reset actuator means includes a shaft having five equiangularly spaced, longitudinally directed fiutes, said shaft constituting the supporting means for the several disks, and each disk having a spring-pressed ball receivable in a flute for revolution of the disk by revolution of the shaft, or disengageable from a flute for revolution of its disk independently of the shaft; disengageable means normally holding said shaft against revolution while engaged; and means so to revolve the shaft for resetting.

11. A tally as in claim 10, including means operatively interconnecting the revoluble shaft and the rock shaft, to shift the latter and its hooks into engaging position upon disengagement of the revoluble shaft for revolution thereof. l;

at the first and second stations, for rotation of each block at each such station, only,

13. A tally of the character described, comprising a plurality of disks and means supporting the same in coaxially spaced disposition and for individual revolution about their common axis; a plurality of blocks of somewhat lenticular shape, five to each disk, the successive blocks of each disk in order around the disk bearing on one face its distinctive one of the numerals zero to four, and on the other face its distinctive one of the numerals five to nine, respectively, means supporting each block from its disk for rotation each individually about an axis parallel to the common axis and located at equiangular spacings relative to the other blocks axes, the whole constituting an indicating assembly; a housing for the several such assemblies of successively higher order, said housing having a viewing window at one side for the display of a single block of each assembly and the numeral on its outer face, and said housing being internally semi-cylindrical at the windowed side, in correspondence with the lenticular curvature of the blocks,-to retain them against rotations while revolving, and having cam-like surfaces about its opposite side in continuation, be-

yond slight breaks at first and second stations hereinafter referred to, of such internal curvature; means to revolve the lowest-order assembly in the additive sense to display in succession the numerals on the outer face of its successive blocks; a first means disposed within the housing, at a first station distant from the viewing window, for engagement with each block of every assembly, as it passes during revolution of its disk, to partially rotate each block about its support, by second, like means, spaced angularly by about one-fifth revolution about the axis of revolution from the first such means, and similarly engageable with each partially rotated block at a second station to complete its rotation, by another 90, and so to bring its opposite face outermost into position for display when such block revolves, with its disk, into registry with the viewing window; each block having a surface, complemental to said cam-like surfaces and engageable therewith while partially rotated and during revolutionary advance between stations, to prevent rotation of the block until it reaches the second station; and means interengageable at the second and thereafter at every even revolution of a lowerorder assembly, between itself and the next higher-order assembly, to advance the latter onefifth of a revolution and then to disengage the same.

14. A tally as defined in claim 13, including a second means to revolve the lowest-order assembly, in the subtractive sense, the block-rotating means at the two stations functioning reversely to effect reverse rotation of each block as it revolves subtractively past such stations.

15. A tally as defined in claim 14, including reset mechanism comprising means to revolve all disks subtractively, and complemental means carried by each assembly and within the housing to halt the revolution of each disk as it comes approximately into zero-reading position.

16. A tally as in claim 13, wherein each blockrotating means comprises a fixed tooth located at each station'and complemental teeth carried by each block, in position to engage ach fixed tooth and to be rotated thereby.

17. A tally of the character described, comprising a plurality of axially spaced disks individually revoluble about a common axis, a plurality of elongated blocks, five to each disk, each of a length approaching one-fifth of the circumference of its disk, and each bearing two related numerals, one on each face, the entire series of ten block faces of each dial bearing successive numerals from zero to nine, means pivotally mounting each block upon its disk for rotative reversal end for end, to display alternately one face and numeral and then the other, a housing having a viewing aperture at one side for display of individual numerals, and having means at its opposite side engageable with each block as it passes during revolutionary advance of its disk for rotating the engaged block, by about its pivotal mount, means so to revolve the disk of lowest order by successive steps of about 72 to display one face of successive blocks and then successively the reverse faces thereof, and means interengageable between a selected block of each lower order disk and the next higher order disk once each ten advances, to advance the higher order disk one-fifth of a revolution and then to disengage the same.

No references cited. 

